


Something Shifting

by Depths



Series: In a mockery of recollection [10]
Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Genre: Blood and Injury, Brotherly Affection, Canon-Typical Violence, Developing Friendships, Dysfunctional Family, Feral Behavior, Feral Link (Legend of Zelda), Fluff and Angst, Gen, Getting to Know Each Other, Hurt/Comfort, Linked Universe (Legend of Zelda), Misunderstandings, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Protectiveness, Team as Family, Trust Issues, Twilight is good with kids, Wild (Linked Universe)-centric
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-11
Updated: 2020-12-02
Packaged: 2021-03-08 18:35:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,305
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27471346
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Depths/pseuds/Depths
Summary: Twilight didn't care what the others think. He doesn't trust Wild.How could he trust someone who's first instinct on seeing him was to try to kill him?
Relationships: Four & Hyrule & Legend & Sky & Time & Twilight & Warriors & Wild & Wind (Linked Universe), Time & Twilight (Linked Universe), Twilight & Wild (Linked Universe), Wild & Wind (Linked Universe)
Series: In a mockery of recollection [10]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1926892
Comments: 117
Kudos: 634





	1. Misgivings

**Author's Note:**

> part 5 of my LU feral!au, takes place right after Calling Out.

“Wind,” Twilight chastised. Wind glared at him. The younger was only becoming more and more visibly fed up with him. Twilight crossed his arms, unrelenting. He got a grumbled curse for it, but Wind stepped away from Wild.

“I’m not going to keep doing this,” Wind hissed quietly. It wasn’t necessary. Wild’s ear twitched back towards them, but Twilight knew the other was more likely to not understand what they were talking about regardless if he caught it or not. “I get that you guys didn’t start off great, but he’s not a bad guy! He’s one of us, Twilight. I’m going to befriend him whether you like him or not.”

The idea of Wind getting close to Wild, much less _befriending_ him, made Twilight bristle. His throat ached with phantom bruises. “He’s _dangerous,”_ he snarled. Some of the others looked back at them, no longer pretending not to be listening. It only made Twilight more frustrated. He wasn’t being the irrational one there. Their newest “hero” had nearly killed him— and hadn’t even been of a sane mind to register it. So what if This Hyrule's Zelda vouched for him? So what if Fi claimed him? That meant nothing when, in a fit of confusion, he struck one of his own. 

Wind’s eyes cautiously flicked down. Twilight tore his hand down to his side, unsure when he had started rubbing his throat. 

“Look,” Wind said slowly, “I get it. He was being _kinda_ scary. We all got off on the wrong foot.” His eyes shifted again. They landed somewhere to Wild’s right, but when Twilight looked nothing was there. He shuddered. “...but I swear he’s harmless. It was a _mistake,_ Twi.”

 _You can’t know that._ “You don't even know the guy,” Twilight snapped.

“Neither do you!”

“That’s enough.” Twilight nearly sliced time in half jumping at his voice. His hand was already on the hilt of his blade. Time’s eye regarded him coolly, a calm hand kept unflinching on Twilight's sword arm. Firm. Grounding. Slowly, he breathed out and tried to relax his shoulders. 

Time waited until he could meet his eye again before speaking. “He’s a new member. Tensions are high right now, but that’s no excuse to start a fight.” His eye flicked over to their newest companion. Twilight refused to follow but he caught Wind wince. “...and just because your subject can’t understand most of what you’re saying doesn’t mean he doesn’t know you’re talking about him.”

Immediately, Wind darted back to Wild’s side, apologizing loudly. Twilight only stopped himself from growling by Time’s hand still on him. His ancestor's face was maybe sympathetic, under the stone.

“I know it’s hard,” he said quietly. “But Flora gave us her word. I trust her understanding of our new friend enough to give him a chance. You need to extend the same opportunity.” Twilight huffed at that. His throat still throbbed. “I’m serious, Pup. You know we won’t get a choice whether to travel together or not. You’re only going to make the inevitable that much harder on yourself. At least try talking to him.”

The thought of doing so ruffled his fur. Twilight only huffed and ambled further ahead, hoping Time hadn't caught the twitch of his hand towards his neck.

He stopped beside Sky and the other immediately smiled at him, affectionately reaching out to pat his arm. It made him deflate a little. At least not everyone was mad at him. He was only doing what was needed to keep them all safe. As their leader, Time should be able to see the good in that, not scold him like some child.

Twilight caught Legend staring at him and looked up, raising a brow. To his surprise, the other only nodded, eyes flickering between him and Wild, before turning back to whatever he had been discussing with Hyrule. Twilight relaxed a little further. Not everyone was mad, and he wasn't alone. Legend was a prickly bastard on a good day, but at least _someone_ else could see the clear need to keep some sort of new-member watch.

It was Warriors’ call that snapped him out of his thoughts.

The captain tugged at his scarf, jaw tight. It was a familiar expression. But when he didn't reach for his sword, neither did Twilight. "I think we're going to shift again," he warned. "I'm starting to feel the pull."

_Were they? Already?_

"We've only been here a couple days," Wind protested, eyes wide. Wild, at his side, looked between him and Warriors. His ears fell at low as they could go, brow furrowed. Twilight stepped just a little closer to Wind.

"No, he's right," Four spoke up. They all watched him tug at his feet, experimentally pulling himself off the path. It didn't work. Any straying from their direction left his feet glued to the earth. "I feel it too. It's close."

So soon. Too soon. Usually, Hylia gave them a week, at the very least, to become more acquainted with the world they were in. _Especially_ if it were a new world; and this world had _so much_ to be acquainted with. The little bits they had traveled, in their goose chase after Wild, had proved this Hyrule to be _dauntingly_ massive. Wide, rolling fields and huge mountains stretching into the clouds, expansive seas, valleys, and canyons, and forests––

Twilight growled as he suddenly felt it. The twisting curl in his gut was small, quiet... but he knew it would quickly turn into a boiling churn if he didn't keep moving.

He caught Four staring at him knowingly. They both nodded.

"Let's keep moving," Time ordered, and they fell back into line without complaint.

All except one. Twilight's ears perked as he picked up a now-familiar whine. Wild had frozen in place, staring down at his feet. The distressed expression from before hadn't left his face.

"It's okay," Wind coaxed. The younger hero touched Wild's arm and Twilight immediately snarled before he could stop himself, making both of them jump. _"Twilight,"_ Wind hissed. His eyes flickered to the side, settling on the empty space to Wild's right. His face pinched. " _Really_ not cool right now!" He turned back to Wild when the other whined again, louder. His efforts to yank his feet into any direction but the portal was becoming alarmingly violent. Wind reached for him again, talking soothingly under his breath.

"Wind," Twilight started, only to stop as a warm arm linked with his. Startled, he glanced away to see Sky smiling blithely at him.

"Let's go then, shall we? It looks like Wind has a handle on it." The chosen hero hummed and practically skipped when he dragged Twilight down the path. Trying to tug away wasn't helping. Sleepy and affectionate or not, Sky could be plenty stubborn himself.

It no longer mattered once they passed them. Twilight knew nothing short of divine intervention would be enough to let him walk back towards Wind now. Sky only continued to hum even when he yanked his arm out from him, ignoring Twilight's scowl.

"We shouldn't have left them alone," He snapped. "Wild is still a stranger, and he's a violent one! He could very easily lash out and hurt Wind even if he doesn’t mean to."

Sky glanced back. "He sure doesn't look like he's about to," He commented easily. "Actually, Wild looks pretty happy to be with Wind right now."

Twilight looked over his shoulder to see Wind holding Wild's hand, the younger tugging him slowly along the path. They were still a fair number of paces behind Sky and him, and the rest of the group as a whole, but Wild was nothing but demure in the way he allowed Wind to pull at him.

Still, seeing it made him anxious. His throat throbbed. Twilight carefully fisted his hands at his sides.

"That doesn't mean anything," He argued quietly. "You saw what happened before. He doesn't fully understand speech, or even people in general. Someone traumatized the way he is could be unpredictable in dangerous ways."

Sky's calm expression sharpened. Twilight's heart stuttered in its chest at the sight of it. " _’Traumatized the way he is?’_ " The other repeated, "Do you mean traumatized the way _we_ are?"

Twilight stopped. He stared at Sky, eyes wide, but the other only stared sternly back.

"You know I didn't mean it like that," He said. "We all have our traumas. We've all seen some terrible things on our journeys. I wouldn't..."

"But you did." Seeing his friend turn away from him, continuing to walk as if he hadn't a care in the world, made Twilight want to curl up and hide. "I know you guys didn't meet in a great way, Twi, but you can't behave like this. He's new, and he's scared and confused. Just like we all were at first. I won't ask you to be his friend, that's not my place, but we don't have an excuse to just treat him like this." His head ducked suddenly, shoulders curling in, and Twilight felt like whining himself. "No one deserves to be bullied just for being the way they are, or being in the situation that they are. It's not anyone's fault."

He walked on ahead. Twilight watched him go. 

The pull continued to build back up in his chest, insistent and uncomfortable. Twilight looked back one last time anyway. Behind him, Wild trotted more alongside Wind than behind him, his hand lax in their youngest's own. Wind's was still quietly speaking regardless, little encouraging murmurs of "You're okay, that's it. She's right, yes, it'll get better. You're okay..."

Wild's eyes were still wide, still confused. His face looked sickly pale, white against the fleshy pink tones of his scars. But he looked at Wind without a hint of malice, and his free hand remained lax and empty where it swung at his side.

Twilight swallowed, wincing at the phantom throb of his throat, and turned forward, walking ahead.

The others waved when he reached them, gathered loosely around a familiar swirling center of pure magic.

Time's hand was warm where it reached out to settle on his shoulder. "Hey pup," He greeted easily. "We're all just waiting for Wind and Wild, then."

"We didn't want to risk teleporting separately, since this will be Wild's first time shifting," Warriors explained. He tugged at his scarf again, armor shifting noisily with his unease. "I hope they don't take much longer though. The pull is starting to get more than a little uncomfortable."

"Wind's keeping them moving," Twilight admitted. "They weren't far behind me."

"Hallelujah for that," Legend murmured. He yelped when Hyrule poked at his side. "Hey!"

"I can hear you talking shit, Legend," Wind called, and stepped out of the treeline, Wild attached to his hand. The new hero's nervousness visibly wracked up the moment he saw them. Twilight could see the exact moment he registered the portal, his shoulders rising and ears flattening back against his head, but he didn't do anything more than tighten his hand around Wind's. The pirate didn't even flinch.

"Language," Time reprimanded, but Wind only grinned at him. He sighed. "Right. That's all of us then. Everybody ready?"

"Let's go, already," Legend snapped. He stood up. "The pull is _really_ annoying, I'm gonna go ahead." 

"Wait," Hyrule gasped. "We can't just––" He grabbed onto him, trying to stop him, only sending them both careening into the portal together with a yelp. 

Wild startled at the sight of it, hand flying to his slate. Twilight twitched. When no one reacted beyond grumbling and rolling their eyes, however, his hand slowly moved away from the device, settling stiffly back at his side.

"I guess that's that," Warriors commented, rubbing his forehead. "Well. I'll go after them, then."

Without another word, the captain walked into the swirling magic. Twilight caught Wild stiffen momentarily, glancing down at Wind. Their youngest only smiled up at him and he slowly relaxed.

Twilight almost flinched when Sky saddled up next to him, smiling warmly as if he hadn't just scolded him minutes ago. "Shall we go together then?" He asked. His arm looped around Twilights again. Remarkably looser, compared to when he had dragged him down the road, but still firm enough to hold him still as if to say _I'm keeping an eye on you._

"...We don't have to," Twilight slowly said. Sky cocked his head. "But if it makes you happy, sure."

It got him a brilliant grin. Something in him unfurled a little at the sight of it. An angry Sky was always off-putting just enough to unsettle something in all of them.

When he looked up, Time was smiling at them. That warm little thing in Twilight's stomach wiggled and squirmed, settling into that practically purred with content. It didn't fade even when Time shifted his eye to their last two companions. "Would you two like me to come with you?" He asked gently. "Or do you think you're good?" 

The question was more directed at Wild than anyone, but if the placid way the scarred hero blinked up at Time was any indication, he didn't fully register it. 

Wind nudged at him until he looked down at him, cocking his head attentively. "You okay?" He asked. "Want Time to come with us? You can say no if you want." Wild paused for a moment, staring into space, before shaking his head at Wind. He huffed quietly, puffing out his chest and straightening his shoulders just enough to make Wind laugh, smiling triumphantly when he giggled.

Time watched them with a soft look. The warmth in Twilight's gut chilled a little. "I'll go on ahead then," He warned. He looked back over at Twilight, squeezing his shoulder once before letting go.

Twilight felt no warmth when he vanished into the depths.

Sky's arm tightened around his. Even though the stern line to his eyes remained, the curve of his smile was gentle. "Let's go," He coaxed and tugged Twilight in.

The last thing he saw, when he managed one last glance behind him, was Wind excitedly pulling Wild towards them. Wild's eyes had gone round with wonder, practically vibrating with excitement.

Twilight felt his throat throb as the magic closed in around him.


	2. Home Conversations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They land in Twilight's Hyrule.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aka the chapter where I look at my outline and realize i have to build up until I can use any of it!

It was a relief to be back in his own Hyrule.

Twilight had felt all the tension slough off him the moment he took his first breath of his world's air, the scent innate to his Hyrule, the lingering bits of twili magic and heavily forested woodland...

"Wild!' Wind gasped out, and Twilight's brief peace shattered. 

He vaguely registered the others all turning as he did before his attention fixated on their last two members as they stumbled through the portal–– and directly to the ground. Wild slumped bonelessly to the dirt. He only groaned, brow furrowed and expression twisted in confusion, as Hyrule brushed Wind aside, checking him over.

"He seems fine," Hyrule said quickly. He rested a hand on Wild's shoulder, flinching away when Wild tensed. "The shift was just a little rough on him, I think... Hopefully however it affected him fades soon."

He looked down at Wild for a moment, mouth opening and closing. Nothing came out. Instead, he turned to Wind, smiling nervously when he saw how attentively the youngest was watching him. "Don't worry, Wind," Hyrule soothed, "He should be fine. We'll all just keep an eye on him in case the effects don't go away."

Wind only nodded. His eyes, for some reason, remained focused not on Wild, but the spaces around him–– the empty air at his back, the dirt at his side–– "I'll stay by him," He said firmly, and when Hyrule nodded he didn't even look up. Wild slowly was getting to his feet, teetering and unsteady. Wind continued to stare at nothing, expression pinched with worry. 

"Twilight," Time said quietly. Twilight jumped. He turned away from the two and faced forward again, struggling in vain to reach back for that peace he had only just gotten. 

He didn't succeed, but... "We're close to my home village," He said quickly. "The woods around here are pretty safe. If we move quickly we'll make it before sundown." No one argued as he walked to the front of the group, eyes set on the distance. 

Even Wind, nudging a staggering Wild to his feet, made no complaints. Twilight kept an ear carefully tilted as far their way as he could regardless. Just in case. He told himself it was just to keep a second eye on Wild. Someone so viscerally affected by the shift would be in no state to try anything, after all. It was purely to keep them all safe.

"Hurts," Wild whispered, voice dragging and rough over his scarred vocal cords. Wind immediately shushed him. His words weren't clear enough to understand, not without his wolf form, but––

Eyes burned into his cheek. Twilight ducked his head to avoid Time's stare, veering away into the undergrowth.

"Just a little further," He muttered.

Wind's soothing murmurs remained a tense backdrop the whole way to Ordon.

-

Things were better once they made it to the village. The tension lingered, but the majority of it scattered and broke over the relief of being somewhere  _ safe _ . Somewhere they weren't alone. Somewhere they could sleep with walls and a ceiling and maybe beds, and a real meal.

"Link!"

Twilight perked up. He was swamped by children before he even fully turned to greet them, huffing as Beth and Talo practically tackled him. Malo and Colin managed to skid to a stop before they could collide, Colin's eyes big and bright. "You're back!" He yelled. 

Twilight grinned down at him, freeing a hand to ruffle his hair. Colin only laughed, latching onto him instead of pushing him away. His weight was so slight, even with a couple more birthdays on him and plenty of good meals–– "Hey!" Colin yelped, giggling as Twilight hefted him up into the air. 

Immediately the others began to complain, bouncing at his hip. Twilight could only laugh at them. It felt unbelievably good to be home. To be in his  _ own  _ Hyrule, with his own people, with his own past. 

"Hi Link." Twilight jerked his head up, smiling unabashedly when he spotted Ilia. She had grown a little taller, but her eyes were just as kind. She grinned back at little, hanging back behind the village children, before leaning around him to peek at his companions. "brought your wayward brothers back home, huh?"

The others had been awfully quiet behind him. Twilight spun around, kids still hanging off him, and flushed as he took in their expressions.

Time's hand, warm against his shoulder, was just embarrassing. The way the kids all poked up their heads at the sight of him,  _ oohing  _ and  _ aahing  _ at his armor and scars and marks, didn't help. Hadn't he already told them not to stare? "No, no, don't mind us," Time said. He wasn't even bothering to pretend he wasn't amused. Legend and Warriors, just behind him, were openly snickering. "Go have fun, pup. We know our way by now, we can set up for the night." 

He moved past, nodding a greeting to Illia. Her smile quirked cheekily up at Twilight when she waved them on their way. Twilight supposed he should just be glad that Sky had a hand on Warriors before the other could play Prince with anyone.

The warmth, and even the embarrassment, faded dramatically when Wild passed them by, bright blue eyes huge where they scanned over everything. Twilight bristled when they passed over the children, over Illa, even as Wind tugged him along.

"Did ya bring anything cool back?" Beth asked, pulling on his tunic. "Last time you had those really cool bugs, and that big ol' red feather, and––"

"Didja get any more weapons?!" Talo interrupted, eyes already glittering where they fixed on Twilight's hip and back. "You better have! What's the point in goin' off if ya don' get a cool sword out a' it––"

Twilight faked a smile for the kids. By the narrow of Ilia's eyes, he wasn't successful. He still tried, though, keeping a cheery facade even as he carefully set them all down. "I got tons a cool stuff for ya'll," He said briskly. "But it's getting a lil late, and nobody's gonna be happy with me for pulling daggers out when you're all supposed to be in bed, you hear?" 

They all groaned, clinging to his tunic. Ilia shot him another look–– a very carefully crafted one that made him wince, a little–– and rested her hands on her hips. "Ya'll heard the guy," She said easily, "Tomorrow ain't goin' anywhere."

They whined about it, but they left. The two of them watched them all sprint off, bare feet kicking up dirt.

Ilia turned to  him. Her face was firmly set in stone in a way that had him stiff before he could stop himself.

"I see ya got another brother," She commented. Twilight licked his lips nervously. Ilia only raised an eyebrow. "Wanna tell me why ya don' like him?"

He didn't. Not really. Even as Twilight bristled at the thought of "not liking" Wild–– how could he not like someone likely his own flesh and blood? Another hero, another chosen, another forced through endless trials, another just like him–– he ducked away from Ilia's stare, instead starting to pace a tight circle in the grass.

"It's not that I don' like him," he defended. "He's just–– I just don' know 'im, 'sall."

A stranger. Hero's spirit or not. Brother or not. Wild was someone new, and strange, and––

Ilia took his hand, likely intending to pull him down to the ground, but the touch only sent a shock up Twilight's spine. He whipped around on her, his building agitation suddenly boiling over. "He's dangerous, Ilia," He admitted. Twili magic tugged on him, willing him to transform. It always felt a little better in a way his Hylian form never could, to dig his claws into the dirt, to throw himself through the woods in the dark, "The first thing he–– I didn't even get a word out before he was––" 

"Link," Ilia said, loud and harsh, and Twilight couldn't help the animalistic whine that tore out of him. A gentle but firm hand gripped his shoulders. Ilia had to stretch to reach them, struggled to fit her small hands all the way around them, but the contact was enough to shock Twilight awake. Her bright eyes were creased with worry. "Deep breaths now, Link, come on. You're gonna make yourself sick!"

Twilight couldn't stop himself. The gates were open. Here, at home, with only Ilia, "He tried to kill me the moment he saw me," He forced out. His throat throbbed, hot and cold and prickling painfully. "He wrapped his hands around my throat and just..."

The others had all been there. But they hadn't  _ seen  _ it. They saw Wild on him, saw Twilight struggling, but they didn't  _ see. _

They couldn't feel the phantom ache around his neck, ghostly, blood slick fingers pressing through dense fur to reach the bone.

It felt good to get out. It felt good to say. The others were wary, but not wary  _ enough _ . They didn't listen. Sure, Wild may be docile as a kitten now but Twilight was living proof of how quickly that innocence could corrupt. "It doesn't matter what the goddamn Goddess wants from me," Twilight snarled, "She can't honestly expect me to trust someone after that."

Ilia was kind. Ilia was sweet and gentle and caring, fierce with it. Ilia no doubt looked at Wild and just saw his wide blue eyes, his scarred face, his hand clasped so childishly easy in Wind's.

The wind huffed out of Twilight when Ilia threw her arms around him, squeezing him tightly.

Her head tucked against his shoulder, nose burying itself in the fur of his wolf pelt. When she spoke, it was muffled. But Twilight would be able to hear her even if she whispered. "That shouldn'ta happen’d, Link," She admitted quietly. "That's not... I'm not surprised yer strugglin' the way ya are."

Twilight's jaw tightened around something thick in his throat.

It didn't last. Ilia leaned back, hands firm on Twilight's forearms. Grounding in a way Time's hadn't been since Wild joined them. "I'm not gonna tell you to be his best friend, Link," Ilia said seriously. "But from what lil you've told us all, when all this started, I don't think yer gonna get much of a choice in whether he tags along or not."

He really didn't. Hylia loved her jokes, after all.

Ilia huffed at the look on his face. Her hands squeezed once, twice. "Don't give me that," she scolded lightly. There was no heat behind it. "Be as suspicious as you want, if it makes ya feel better. But he's supposed ta be a hero as much as the rest a ya'll. I doubt somebody Hylia chose would just attack somebody without a good reason."

There was a reason. A good one, if Twilight allowed himself to admit it. He wasn't an idiot. There was no one in all of Hyrule who would react kindly to a large predator behind them, especially not when said person was still overflowing with adrenaline––

Wild was as feral as a starving coyote.

_ None of this is his fault. _

"I'm not going to be his friend," Twilight haltingly said. Ilia just looked at him for a moment, her mouth pressed into a thin line. Twilight suddenly felt all the exhaustion of it all–– the meeting, the chase, the weird meeting with the other Zelda, switching–– crash over him, thick as molasses and nowhere as sweet. "I'm not going to be his friend."

A long silence. Finally, Ilia moved, hands moving up to pat his hands. He looked down, unsure when they had clenched into fists. "You don't gotta be," She reminded him. "Just give him a lil more benefit of the doubt, yeah?"

She suddenly circled his back. Twilight stumbled forward in a daze as she shoved gently at him, pushing him towards his old house. "Yer exhausted, Link," She said. Her eyes were stern. "We'll talk about this again later. Sleep first. Go be with your family."

It sounded nice. Impossibly nice. Even in all the emotional turmoil of the day, the reminder that he had a family now–– one outside of Ordon, one that was truly his–– it was... nice.

Even if his family now had Wild.

_ He could be family too, _ a traitorous part of his mind whispered.  _ He  _ is _ family too. Whether you like it or not. _

Ilia only stared pointedly at him when he turned to look at her. "Tomorrow, link," She reminded. 

Unsure what else to do, Twilight dragged his feet down the path towards his old treehouse.

Opening the door was, thankfully, a very lackluster event. Sky already conked out on the bed, Four curled up on the floor besides Hyrule and Legend, Wind's legs swinging over the edge of the loft, and Warriors nodding off at his desk. 

Time, sharpening his sword on the floor, looked up as he entered.

"Welcome home, pup," He greeted quietly, trying not to wake the others, and Twilight was almost floored by how strongly those three words smacked him. Being back in his own time, in his own home, would never stop being surreal. Just hearing those words would never stop feeling surreal. "Everyone agreed they were too tired to really cook anything, but Hyrule still had some baked apples left. He's asleep already but we left a couple on the table."

"That's fine," Twilight mumbled. "I'm not really hungry anyway."

He could feel Time's eye on him. Twilight carefully kept his gaze anywhere else, sweeping over the others instead. 

A beat. Twilight stiffened. Time continued to watch him. "Where's Wild?" He asked.

"He's outside," Wind piped up. Twilight looked up. The young hero glared at the wall, legs still swinging. "They–– he said he didn't like sleeping indoors."

There was a lot to unpack there. Twilight went for the easiest. "Where?"

A fiercer glare. "Why, you gonna go get him? Let him inside?" He asked bitterly. He scoffed when Twilight only stared up at him, waiting. Time's cloth scraped against his blade. Soft breaths and snores didn't make the atmosphere any less tense. 

Wind kicked a little harder. His fingers curled around the wood of the loft. "he's in a tree," He finally muttered. "He's not far, if  _ that's _ why you're asking."

"Wind," Time said hesitantly. Wind only climbed down from the loft, settling down by Sky. The other immediately latched onto him in his sleep.

A brief silence. Time turned back to Twilight. "...Get some sleep," He said.

Twilight didn't even nod. He just climbed up the loft and reverted into a wolf, curling up by the window. The thought of sleeping beside the others, at the moment, was painful in a way it hadn't been in a long time. At least up in the loft, he could pretend it was only the cool breeze and the crickets bothering him.

Time sighed below him. His sword slid back into its sheath, armor clinking where he peeled it off to pile by the door.

Twilight slid his eyes shut to the barely noticeable shuffle of Time joining the others by his fire pit, blankets shifting and rustling gently.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woo this story is gonna be leagues longer than I intended ✌️ Actual interactions will happen next chapter, ft. Hyrule and Wild getting some time alone


	3. Teeth sunk deep

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hyrule and Wild vanish into the woods alone. Twilight follows them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Light tw for blood and fairly descriptive violent imagery.

His sleep wasn't restful at all. Even as exhausted as he was, Twilight could feel himself twitching at every noise. The wind in the leaves. A bird calling quietly from its perch. Footsteps and fabric. Deer wandering the woods in the dark.

"Wild?" Hyrule's voice suddenly hissed, startled and high, and Twilight's ears shot up.

_ I shouldn't be hearing footsteps. _

_ "Hylia, _ Wild, you scared me," Hyrule's voice piped up again. The sound of shuffling leaves. Crunching pine needles and shifting dirt. "Have you been–– have you been up there all night?"

Twilight had to tilt his head to catch the faint creak of wood. 

A small laugh. Hyrule's voice, though still soft, sounded less nervous. "Yeah, I'm not a fan of staying inside either."

A brief pause. the crickets continue to chirp. The leaves still shifted and scuffed under boots and breezes.

"Hey," Hyrule started, "Want to come explore with me?"

_ Oh, Hylia no. _ Twilight got to his feet. A glance over the edge of the loft proves no one else was awake. Even Time's face was relaxed in sleep, utterly unaware of their wayward explorer sneaking out. They didn't typically need to set a watch, not when staying in a village or town. Twilight regretted that now.

More creaking wood and rustling leaves. Twilight pressed up against the loft window, straining to hear, but Wild didn't say anything.

It didn't change the unmistakable thump of feet hitting the ground.

"Great," Hyrule said. Twilight could hear the excitement in his voice. "Come on then, quick! Before the others wake up."

_ Goddess damn it. _

Twilight leaped from the loft, claws scraping against the wood. No one woke. They had become too accustomed to the sound of his paws clicking against wood and stone when they camped. He would have to bring it up once he dragged their brother home.

By the time he had managed to shove the door open with his snout, Wild and Hyrule both had vanished from sight. The treehouse clearing was empty, undisturbed.

It wouldn't manage to stop him. Twilight breathed in deep. Hyrule's scent, though wooded and wild, always kept the shivery-sneezy edge of magic to it. Sharp and dizzyingly light like breathing in cold mountain air. Compared to the constant rain-heavy smell of pine and sodden wood of the forest, Hyrule stood out like a beacon.

Wild's scent, in comparison, was all but invisible. While Hyrule carried the tinge of magic, Wild was a mix of mud and fresh grass. He smelled as if he woke up every morning by rolling down a rain-wet grassy hill. In his land he had been nonexistent–– here, even in his Hyrule, that aspect seemed to carry.

The only bit to Wild’s smell Twilight could manage to properly pick up was the stench of old and new monster blood–– and bones. Lots of bones. He must have fought a lot of stal monsters on his journey, to carry that smell so vividly. Even gravediggers didn't manage to smell so much like a fresh grave.

The fur rose all along his back. Twilight did his best to just shake off the feeling.

He spared one last glance at his house. The others snored so loudly he didn't even need to bother tilting an ear back to catch their breathing. Would it be better if he left them a note? If they woke, and all three of them were gone...

Twilight huffed, the sound almost a growl. It was fine. They would be fine. Time would be mad, likely–– all of them would. But this was  _ his _ world. It wasn't about to be what caught him off his guard in the end.

The smell was fading. He breathed in deeply and bounded off into the dark of the woods.

They hadn't gone far. Just beyond Ordon, Hyrule’s scent veered sharply into the Spring. Twilight slowed to a stop just outside the entrance, ears perked high as an old voice brushed over his mind. It wasn't fully tangible. Not the way human voices were. Not even the way Midna's had been, when she was still...

_ You have done well to find your way here, _ Ordona murmured. Their voice, weak and sleepy before, now rang steady and stable as sunlight through a cloudless sky. Twilight felt the unbearable urge to bask in it for a moment. As if he could stretch out in the grass and soak it in, liquid warmth spilling even past his dark fur.  _ I recognize the hero's spirit, even if the forms it has chosen are different from the one of my era.  _

A pause. Twilight shifted to catch the telltale sound of footsteps in water, someone splashing around the Spring. 

_ You will not recognize me, scarred child,  _ Ordona said softly. The light brightened even past the barrier of the Spring. Twilight squinted even as he did not stare directly into it, ducked behind his cluster of trees.  _ It is likely my light itself has been transformed, by your time. Or that it never existed in yours, green child, at all. Such is the way even Old magic twists and changes. We are all eternal in our own ways. You may stay here as you wish, Heroes. Rest in the light of my Spring. _

Twilight waited, but the deity said nothing more. Ordona's light slowly faded. Hyrule’s voice almost made him jump. “Woah, what are… how did you do that?” Hyrule asked. The silence was broken by a loud splash. “Or, uh, don’t tell me. That’s okay too.”

There were a couple more splashes. A confused exclamation, followed by a quiet sigh.

"We should keep going," Hyrule said, and Twilight carefully edged around the tree as the other hero stepped out of the Spring. It didn't seem to matter. His eyes were firm on the figure behind him. "Come on, Wild," Hyrule coaxed, "I don't think that big scale thing is going to do anything whether it's in the water or not. Don't you want to explore the woods? Maybe we'll find some cool mushrooms!"

A rough whine. Some more splashing, quieter this time. Twilight's fur rose as Wild trotted out of the Spring, frowning as he tried uselessly to shake the water off his boots. Still, he followed after Hyrule without complaint. Twilight watched as they both walked further into the trees. As quiet as possible, he slunk out of the darkness and back onto the path, paws silent in the fallen leaves.

_ O brave youth... _

The dirt and grass lit up. Twilight dove for the cover of the trees.

_ Please... come into my Spring. _

No returning footsteps. No shrill screech of unsheathing metal. Twilight cautiously stepped back into the open, poking his head into the Spring.

Ordona's huge talons anchored the being just at the edge of the Spring, glowing eyes staring right through him.  _ Brave youth,  _ it crooned, voice melodious and all-consuming,  _ Why do you stalk, injured, cursed as you are?  _

Come here, it seemed to beckon. Twilight cast a last glance back towards where Hyrule and Wild had disappeared. Their scent was still strong on the path. It wouldn't fade for however long the deity asked for him.

He entered the Spring. With every footstep, he could feel the Twili magic melting off of him. By the time the water lapped at his feet, Ordona peered back at an ordinary Hylian. It’s light seemed to scan him over, the strange feeling making him shiver. Twilight squeezed his eyes shut as it passed over his bruised throat. Near immediately, the warmth seeped down into the skin and into the muscles and tendons themselves.

_ You seek answers,  _ Ordona stated. 

Twilight didn't bother to respond. It was not a question.

Ordona's massive tail flicked, scattering its glow like starlight across the clearing. Twilight couldn't fully tell, but the tiny squint to it's ancient eyes made the spirit almost look amused.  _ Luck upon you, then, brave youth... return to me to shed your form of any ails you may gather.  _

The deity faded away a second time, leaving nothing but his reflection in the waters.

Twilight reached up and felt his throat. Smooth, unblemished skin. He was sure, if he bent down to look, that the purpling handprints wrapped around his neck were gone without a trace.

The phantom pull under the skin remained.

Twilight shifted back to all fours before he risked looking at the water. The warmth of the Spring lingered on the pads of his paws when he ran back into the trees. He wouldn't let it distract him. He had wasted enough time–– wasn't he supposed to not let them out of his sight? His stop in the Spring had left Hyrule defenseless. Any of the minutes he spent there was one more that he wasn't watching Wild, wasn't tracking them, wasn't…

He froze, paws skidding in the foliage. There was blood in the air. He could hear the distinctive  _ shnng  _ of metal. 

Hyrule's scream echoed in the distance.

Twilight threw everything he had in his legs and ran faster.  _ I knew it. I knew it. _ Blood pumped in his ears. It laid heavy in the wind. Every time his claws flexed, catching and pushing in the dirt, he swore he could feel the sticky itch of it under his pads and in his fur.

The trees opened up into a small clearing–– one writhing with monsters. He could barely see the muted greens and blues of Hyrule and Wild's tunics under the moonlight before another lizalfos blocked his sight. All he could easily make out of his brother was the blinding flash of steel as Hyrule swung his sword again and again, wildly trying to clear a space around him and Wild both.

That, and the heady scent of blood stemming directly from him, strong enough to gag on.

"I'm fine!" Hyrule yelled. Twilight startled. How had he–– "Okay! Wild, I'm okay! I need you to–– here, take––" Another flash of silver. Twilight watched, horrified, as Hyrule  _ gave Wild his sword.  _ "Take it,  _ take it, _ I can't use this arm anymore anyway!" 

_ Like hell you can.  _ Twilight snarled and leaped into the fray, claws ripping through scales as Hyrule's head whipped around. His blood splattered hotly across Twilight's fur, mixing with the black blood steaming under his feet. 

_ "Twilight?!" _ Hyrule yelped. "How did you––" He threw his shield up in time to avoid a spear through his head. Or maybe  _ another _ spear through the head. Twilight couldn't tell, even with his wolf eyes, where exactly the other was bleeding from. "What are you  _ doing _ here?!"

Twilight only growled, throwing himself at the unlucky lizalfos trying to stab them.  _ You're lucky I can't talk in this form,  _ he thought.  _ Extremely lucky.  _

Hyrule didn't seem to catch on to that. He gestured violently somewhere to Twilight's left, flicking blood everywhere. Twilight flinched back as blood splashed across his muzzle. "No, no, don't help  _ me, _ help Wild! He's–– there's  _ three––" _

_ He's the armed one between us! _ Twilight bared his teeth and snarled, loud and clear. Hyrule only glared at him as he pushed another lizalfos off of him, shield bashing it firmly over the skull. He was panting when he continued to yell. "Don't do that! They're all going after him, whether  _ you _ like him or not, you stupid jerk!" 

A lizalfos squeezed between them, beady eyes centering on Twilight. He could only growl when he caught sight of Hyrule edging further away, shield held tight to his chest and shoulders set. Injured or not, the smaller hero held his own just fine. None of them were strangers to pushing through pain or blood to finish a battle. 

Hyrule was a veteran in his own right. It still never failed to rub his fur the wrong way. 

_ "Go to Wild,"  _ Hyrule yelled over the chaos. Twilight rolled his eyes, tail thrashing. He turned regardless. Distracting Hyrule by needlessly stressing him wouldn't help any of them. Although he couldn't really fathom why the other was so worried in the first place––  _ Wild  _ wasn't the injured one.  _ Wild  _ wasn't the unarmed one. Why did everyone care so  _ much?! _ Why was one newbie  _ stranger  _ so much more important, so much more valid than–– 

His paws slid in the blood-slick grass, claws ripping up dirt. That was more than three lizalfos. In the dark, Hyrule must have counted wrong–– Twilight's eyes flit over two, three, four, five,  _ six _ –– 

Wild's arm lifted, scars shining silver in the moonlight, and when he thrust it down Twilight watched in what felt like slow motion as all that solid steel shattered into bright little moonlit fragments.

Fuck.  _ Fuck. _

His throat ached. Breathing seemed to drag at healed bruises, raking over the phantom sore spots as if over hot coals.

Wild bared his teeth. Another steely flash of silver and white in the dark.

_ Damn you, Hylia. _

Twilight ducked under the lizalfos in front of him and tore across the clearing. Where Hyrule was, Wild's expression, the number of enemies, the blood in the air. None of it registered. All he could feel was the hot and thick rip of flesh and sinew under his claws. The disgusting malice-filled goo in his mouth when he clamped his jaws down. Blood streaking his fur, dew between his toes. 

Wild’s eyes glowed in the dark, bright enough to rival the moon. They were all Twilight could see.

Talons tore through his side. 

Twilight yelped. His body was flung harshly, blades ripping out of his flesh and fur with a sickly wet noise. The world flared nothing but white-hot pain when he slammed up against a tree. The dirt under him was soaked through with blood before he could even try to get up–– the new wounds felt deep enough to have nicked ribs, if not cracked them. 

Metal and heaving breathing and blood. It wasn't over. He had to get up.  _ He had to get up.  _

His paws slid and slipped in the wet grass. His claws refused to catch; every movement pulled at his wounds. Breathing alone pulled at his wounds. Twilight tried to make a sound but all that came out was a whimper. The noises filtered back in, loud and screaming. It did nothing but disorient him further. Clashing blades and chirruping lizards and wheezing, heavy breathing.

Twilight forced his eyes as wide as he could. The world spun, fuzzy and too dark, around something bright blue. 

Even in the dark Wild's eyes pinned him down. A singularity of brightly glowing blue and green–– fixed on him. Could the other even  _ see _ him? Did he recognize him at all? In the heat of the moment, was it all going to end up exactly the same as before, mistaken for another enemy? Was that all he got, for trying to do the right thing, for trying to––

The blue of Wild's tunic seemed dull and dark. Against the familiar red glow of the appearing lizalfos, Wild only looked like–– 

_ I'm going to die,  _ Twilight realized. Something metallic slid along his throat, over the back of his tongue. He didn't have the strength to cough it out. He barely had the strength to lift his head to watch what happened to him. The shock of pain, the dizziness of blood loss–– it stole every bit of oxygen from his lungs.  _ I'm going to die here.  _

There wasn't even any satisfaction to being  _ right. _

Wild lunged forward and Twilight squeezed his eyes tightly shut.

A hissing scream. Twilight flinched as blood splashed across his muzzle, steaming hot and disgustingly thick. Something solid fell against his back leg with a loud thump, forcing his eyes back open as pain raced up his spine.

All he could make out at first was Wild's tunic. The silvery blue of it in the moonlight and the flash of blades in the dark. Over and over and over, reflecting white in the moonlight.

More blood splashed the ground. A lizalfos' screech twisted into something terrified and  _ wet. _ Twilight watched, unable to look away, as a scaley body hit the dirt and dissolved into black malice and dust. 

Another lizalfos, chittering to the left. Wild's head whipped around violently, hair flying with the movement, and  _ snarled.  _

The boy lunged without hesitation for the monster. Twilight gaped as he watched that distinctive reflective light of  _ teeth  _ bury themselves savagely into the lizalfos' throat, Wild snarling like a cornered and starving animal as he ripped its throat out. They both went down, monster and man sent wrestling tactlessly across the dirt. Twilight could vaguely make out the lizalfos trying to snap at Wild but the boy only slammed his knees into the grass. Refusing to back down. Refusing to let go. 

Even after another lizalfos tackled Wild off of the other, the first had already stopped moving, scales melting away.

Twilight  _ stared _ . 

Movement at his hip almost made him rip himself apart jerking around. "It's me! It's me," Hyrule gasped, jerking away just in time to avoid Twilight's teeth. "I-I dealt with, with the–– oh,  _ Hylia, _ you're  _ really _ ..."

A gurgling screech. Both heroes jumped as a lizalfos hit the ground barely a foot away, talons ripping up dirt and grass in a desperate bid to get away from him. Wild, hunched over it, nails anchored under scaled flesh, lunged. 

Twilight jerked his head away, wincing as it pulled at his wounds. There were limits even he had and watching black blood ooze from Wild’s bared teeth was...

Hyrule looked even paler than moonlight. His eyes were huge where they were frozen on the carnage in front of them. 

Twilight whined and the spell broke. 

“Oh— fuck,  _ Goddess, _ right—“ Hyrule’s hands pressed against Twilight’s torn side and he bit back a yelp, lips curling from his teeth. “Sorry, I’m  _ sorry, _ I-I don’t have a potion on me…!” 

_ Reckless, stupid, why do you always do this—  _ warmth flooded from Hyrule’s touch into his flayed flesh. Twilight twitched and did his best to still as he felt his torn muscle and sinew knit back together. Hyrule’s healing was never like a potion. Where a potion seemed to boost what was already natural, Hyrule’s magic seemed to seep into the skin itself. Foreign tingles pulling at torn ligaments like fingers on harp strings. A thousand tiny spiders, weaving his body back together. 

It was invasive and strange, and so unlike the light of the Springs or even the cool, liquid soak of Twili magic. 

But it was Hyrule. Twilight would trust him with his life again, and again, and again. 

The spiders crawled away. Twilight's side felt equally as if it were buzzing with warmth yet caked in ice. Hyrule settled back on his knees by his side. “I think, uh, you should be able to stand now,” Hyrule whispered. Immediately, Twilight scrambled to get to his feet.  _ “No, no, no! _ I didn’t mean you  _ should _ stand! Stay still, it’s...“ he swallowed audibly. “I think it’s–– it’s almost over.” 

_ Wild. _ Twilight craned his head up as much as was comfortable. 

The forest clearing, previously lit in silver, looked more like a swamp now. Grass previously tall and dew covered was trampled and torn up. The scuffed dirt was near-invisible under a thick coat of black blood. 

Wild, in the middle of the carnage, stood gasping. His hands clenched and unclenched. Even as nothing moved around him he remained still, staring at nothing. 

“W...Wild?” Hyrule hesitantly called. No response. Twilight stiffened when Hyrule carefully stumbled to his feet, limping closer to the other. He barely bothered to look back when Twilight growled, only making a short shushing gesture behind him. “Wild? Can you hear me?” 

No response. Not even a twitch. Hyrule took another step and Twilight again forced himself upright, struggling to keep his paws under him. Hyrule’s ear twitched back towards him but the other still didn’t risk looking back. Even in the waning moonlight Twilight could make out the tense line of his shoulders, the unsteady grip on his shield. 

“Wild,” Hyrule cautiously reached out. “I need to see if you’re okay. I’m g-going to touch you, okay?” 

_ No, _ Twilight wanted to howl. His throat throbbed painfully. Everything hurt when he moved but he kept moving anyway, forcing his wobbling paws to stay under him.  _ Don’t touch him, don’t— _

Wild flinched when Hyrule’s fingers touched his shoulder. Slowly, when nothing happened, Hyrule settled his whole hand on him. 

Twilight could hear the breath Hyrule let out, shaky and quiet. “That’s it,” he murmured, more to himself than either of them, “I got you.” He gently pulled wild around, trying to get him to face them. Both of their breaths caught when wild finally turned fever bright eyes on them. Even with his pupils so dilated they nearly swallowed his eyes in black, the thin ring of sea-green around them glowed brightly. 

Hyrule paused. Waved a hand in front of Wild. His eyes didn’t move. 

“Wild?” Hyrule asked, a little louder. Nothing. “Link?” He tried again. Wild’s eyes pinned on him. They both stiffened, but nothing happened. Wild just continued to stare at them. Hyrule took a deep breath. “H-hey there. Is it okay if I touch you a bit more? We— we need to get back to camp.” His eyes shifted to Twilight. “Uh. Twilight’s house. Camp. Yeah. Is that okay?” 

Twilight stiffened when Wild's eyes followed Hyrule's to him. The glow in his eyes seemed to brighten impossibly further. Jerkily, Wild looked away.

"...Okay." Hyrule took a tentative step back, freezing when Wild jerked back around to face him. All the fur on Twilight's back raised. But Wild only reached out, scarred hand awkwardly latching onto Hyrule's as it slipped off his shoulder.

A moment passed. They all stared at each other. Wild wasn't letting go. Nor was Twilight sure he was even blinking. If he couldn’t see the shallow rise and fall of his chest, he would think he weren’t breathing either. 

Hyrule looked back down at Twilight. "Uh," He said, "I guess we'll just... lead you back like this, then."

No response. Twilight slowly trotted towards Ordon without looking away. Even with Wild docile, shoulders loose and hands empty... he couldn't help the unease turning his back on the other gave him. It didn't help with how Wild's eyes so immediately fixed on him the moment he moved, wide eyes tracking his every step.

Hyrule's fidgeted nervously. His face was pinched with stress. Still, he kept his hand gentle and still in Wild's own. "L-lead the way, Twi," He said tersely. "We'll be right behind you."

He hesitated to keep moving. Those were never words to be trusted from Hyrule, Wild attached to his hip or not. 

Hyrule's green eyes remained steady. "Go," He said. "it's okay. I'll–– I'll yell if I... if we need anything, okay? Seriously. We'll be  _ right _ behind you."

Twilight only huffed. Still, he set his eyes forward and started to move, keeping one ear tilted back. At the very least, there was no need to manage his pace–– he was plenty slow enough with the limp he was sporting. There wasn't going to be any weaving through the woods with the gashes torn into his side. He wasn't sure how to feel about it, that that was a  _ good  _ thing.

He could hear Hyrule muttering to himself. Little tense whispers of "Just a little further. Just a little more. Twilight knows the way, and Ordon is close, and, and–– man, Time is gonna  _ kill _ me..."

Twilight pushed himself a little faster.

They all steadfastly ignored the Spring as they passed. Twilight wasn’t honestly sure, rude as it was, if his composure would last another encounter with anything other than another person at the moment. Despite that Twilight could feel the seeping warmth of the magic inside pulling at him as they passed, sinking through his fur. His side fizzled as the wounds delicately began to knit together.

The sight of home was always a kind of relief stronger than any other. But Twilight almost collapsed on his paws right then and there to see the village through the trees, wounds or not, charges or not, something about the familiar softness of the dirt, of the breeze through the whistling grass, the smell of goats and honey and woodland––

_ "Oh thank Hylia," _ Hyrule breathed, voice breaking, and Twilight forcefully slowed his pace to a crawl.

It was still dark out, but compared to the black of the forest beyond the spring the village was a warm haven of light. Even his treehouse, on the outskirts of the homes, seemed to glow.

Twilight limped up to the front door. The claw marks weren't pretty on the wood but who was going to yell at him but Ilia? It did the job. Whatever worked was good enough, especially when he knew Hyrule's one free hand was busy keeping blood from leaking into his eyes, and Wild was––

The door swung open. Time glared at them.

_ "Where have you three been," _ he ground out. "This is the––" his eye scanned Hyrule over. "The..." Twilight ducked down when the older hero looked down at himself. "What in  _ Hylia's––?" _

Twilight stumbled out of the way as Legend pushed past Time, almost tripping over him in his haste to get outside. When he spotted Hyrule and Wild his expression turned  _ livid _ . 

"What the hell did he  _ do _ to you?!" He shouted.

Hyrule's eyes widened. "wha–– wait, Legend, uh," He moved forward only to pause when Wild tugged on his hand, ending up frantically looking between the two as Legend advanced. Legend tensed further. He practically steamed at the sight of Wild’s hand on Hyrule. Twilight could see his hand moving for the rod at his hip, magic already smoldering in the air.  _ "Legend! _ Wait, hold  _ on––" _

Wild's hand tightened around Hyrule's, shoulders stiffening. Twilight's hackles rose at the look in his eyes. 

The closer Legend got, the more Wild curled in on himself. Twilight violently flinched when he yanked Hyrule away from Wild. So far Wild hadn't snapped at him, but it didn't take a genius to see the way Wild's lips curled off his teeth in a snarl. Legend shoved at him, teeth bared in a snarl of his own.

"You think you got  _ everyone _ here?" Legend hissed. "You think you can just show up, be a pathetic little  _ puppy?" _

_ "Hey, now." _ Time's armor clanked loudly as he stepped up beside Twilight, making him cringe away. "There's no need for that kind of aggression, Legend."

Legend sneered. "Yes there is!" He shouted. "First Twilight, now  _ Hyrule! _ That's two people this  _ hero _ has hurt! Who's gonna be next? Sky? Wind? Four? He shouldn't have been allowed to come with us, what good is he beyond a liability?!"

"Legend," Hyrule tried. 

He flinched when Legend whirled around on him, pointing a finger accusingly his way. "You saw it, didn't you?" He asked. "You saw what he's like! He's got no idea how to act like a–– like a  _ person, _ 'Rule. Look what he did to you! Look what he's done to Twilight  _ twice! _ You can't seriously––"

The magic crackled in the air with every shift of Legend's hands. Wild was openly growling. Twilight could barely hear the others spilling out of the house, confused by the yelling.

"Legend," Time ordered, "Stop!"

_ "Don't tell me what to do,"  _ Legend shouted back.

Hyrule's knees trembled as Warriors grabbed him, mouth moving wordlessly. It was all he could manage to stumble out of the danger zone and into the treehouse. 

Wild, cornered up against the treeline, had eyes lighting back up in green.

Hyrule was out of the picture. Wolves couldn’t speak Hylian. The reminders of what happened when Wild was pushed still stained Twilight’s paws and clumped stickily in his fur. Twilight took as steadying a breath as possible. The tiny little healing pushes Ordona had sent his way had helped, had been more than he had anticipated. It would still hurt. There was no way it  _ wouldn't _ hurt.

He braced himself. The night flared white with pain as he reached for the tendrils of Twili magic in himself and  _ yanked. _

_ "Twi––?!" _ Someone's scream cut off, fizzling out into indiscernible noise. Twilight couldn't hear anything over the click of his bones. The foreign feeling of muscles shifting, tendons and sinew moving, was almost familiar–– but not now. Not with the extra burning, blinding pain of his wounds struggling to place themselves on a new body, a new form–– skin shifted, fur melting away and claws drawing back into nails. 

Twilight vaguely registered the ground rushing up to meet him until he was face down against it. His limbs snapped sickeningly back into place and cold sweat rushed down his spine. His fingers spasmed where they ripped into the dirt.

His hearing came back muffled and fuzzy, and all he could hear with it was someone snarling so loudly it hurt even his Hylian ears.

"Wh," Twilight wheezed. His throat throbbed painfully. Trying to get up made his head swim and he just stayed still for a long moment, trying to breathe, pressing his sweaty forehead against the dirt.

"––ilight," Someone said. Too loud. It was all too loud. Twilight groaned and dizzily flopped halfway onto his side, pressing his ear against the ground. It didn’t help. Movement only made the world swim more, only pulled at his wounds.  _ "Twilight." _

A shrieking cry. Loud scuffling and clicking metal. Someone yelped. The pounding in Twilight's head was starting to lessen a little, but it still was far too loud. Who was  _ yelling? _

"Twilight," Time said, farther away. "Twilight, you need to get up."

_ I'm working on it, _ he tried to grumble. Whatever came out didn't sound quite right. He didn't try again. It was better to try and focus on just evening his breathing. Standing would come in time. Sitting up was first.

Something whined. A hand softly nudged at his shoulder, poking at him, and he groaned. It moved away. Another whine.

Twilight squinted an eye open and saw Wild barely two inches away, electric blue eyes wide and clean of green. 

He bared his teeth at Twilight when he saw his eye open and backed up a little. He didn't move again, just watching as Twilight blinked up at him dazedly. When Twilight managed to push himself up on his elbows, he could see Time across the clearing. A couple more blinks clarified the blur on the back of Legend's neck as Time's hand.

They... weren't fighting anymore. Legend was completely silent, expression unreadable. When he turned, he could make out the faces pressed up against the window to be Four and Wind, and others likely herded inside.

"Whuh–– What?" Twilight asked. He hadn't even gotten to explaining what had happened yet. Had he? "What are..." Another poke to his shoulder. Twilight sat up a little straighter and looked at Wild. 

"Wild?" He tried. Another awkward almost-smile. It didn't make Twilight any less confused.

"Pup," Time called, and Twilight looked up, meeting his mentor's eye again. Wild visibly tensed at the sound of Time's voice. "You alright?"

"Fine," Twilight said. "'s fading off. What is, uh..." He looked at Wild. Wild looked back at him, tilting his head. "What happened?"

"You nearly passed out is what happened," Legend said slowly. Time's hand tightened on his shoulder but Legend didn't even twitch. His eyes burrowed unblinkingly into Wild. "What were you guys  _ actually _ doing in the woods?"

Twilight scowled. His hands clenched into the dirt. "It wasn't Wild's fault," He admitted defensively. "Not... not this time."

_ "This time?" _ Time murmured.

Legend sneered loudly and Wild immediately growled in response. They both stopped when Time glared at them.

"Wild almost snapped my neck when we first met," Twilight said. He was surprised how easily it came out. The words barely even dragged inside his throat on their way out. The look on Time's face was still extremely validating to see. The satisfaction on Legend's face, smug as it was, felt good to share.

Wild sat quietly to himself, none the wiser to their conversation. Twilight wasn't sure if he liked that he felt strangely bad about that. "He won't do it again," He said and surprised himself with his own firmness.

Time slowly nodded. "I... see."

Legend was still staring. Wild was staring right back at him, but Legend's eyes were on Twilight's. "He won't do it again," He said, serious, and Legend eventually turned away, crossing his arms.

"If you're sure," He muttered. "I'm not about to be his buddy. But I'll take your word for it." His glare stung a little, even not on Twilight himself. "You deserve at least an apology though. Even I admit that."

Twilight winced. Time winced. "I don't know if he  _ could," _ He said unsurely.  _ Does he even  _ know _ that word yet? _

"I said what I said," Legend said. "Can we go back inside now, or is he gonna try and jump me? You're bleeding a  _ puddle _ where you sit."

"I, uh." Twilight pushed himself to his feet, heaving a sigh of relief when he managed to do it without wobbling too much. Turning to Wild pulled at his side, making him wince. He still did his best to appear firm, chancing a hand on Wild's shoulder. "Wild? You okay?" He said awkwardly.

Wild blinked at him. "Okay," He repeated.

_...Did that help anything? _

"Wild," Time called. Twilight slumped a little when Wild turned away from him. Time usually knew what to do, surely wrangling one feral, traumatized hero was nothing new ( _ Surely _ surely, considering Twilight was fairly certain he himself fit that bill before, forced into a wolf's body and alone in the dark). "We are going to go back inside. All of us. Legend too. Please do not attack him, okay? There is no danger here, twilight does not need help."

Wild fidgeted in place. Time regarded him carefully. "Do you understand?" He asked.

His face pinched. Twilight watched, fascinated, as a green glow swam in his bright blue eyes. Moving his tongue testingly, Wild spoke.

"No danger," He said slowly. "Okay. Every... All okay. Not–– no? No help?" He looked at Twilight and Twilight felt almost hysterically amused by the way the shorter hero scanned him up and down, expression incredulous. "No help?" He asked again, pointing at the blood soaking Twilight's tunic.  _ "No?" _

_ He's sassing me.  _ Is _ he sassing me?  _ Twilight smiled without thinking. It only became funnier (or maybe that was a hysteria. or the blood shock. How much blood had he lost? What clot on the way back, past the Spring, tore back open with the shift. He could only bleed so much, sluggish or not.) when Wild "smiled" back, lips twitching awkwardly as he tried to copy the curve of Twilight's grin. 

_ He really is just... a coyote cub, huh? _ Wild and feral, tiptoeing around their campfire to steal bites of their dinner–– yet he still tried to protect them. To protect him.

"No danger," Twilight said. He reached out and felt almost glowy with pride when Wild didn't react more to a hand petting down his locks than a single flick of his ear. "'Long as I get patched up or down a potion, at least."

Wild surprised him by nodding seriously. "Poe-shun," he said sternly. He pulled the glowing object off his hip, completely oblivious to the way they were staring. Twilight slightly leaned over, trying to see the screen, only to squint. none of the symbols on the screen were readable. He couldn't even recognize what the writing there was–– it didn't resemble anything he had ever read before, nor did it resemble any of the other Link's writing. Not that that was surprising anymore, but...

Twilight stepped back as the object lit up in blue. Wild grabbed at the glow, fingers wrapping around the light. 

A familiar red-hued potion materialized in his hand.

"Um," Legend said, flummoxed.

"Poesh-tion," Wild repeated.

Twilight stared.  _ Where did he get that. What is that. How did–– _ Wild cocked his head, eyes big and bright. 

"Potion," He said firmly, and lit up. "Potion. Twilight––" he squinted. "––for Twilight."

"I know I just said he's fine but maybe don't drink strange liquids from feral heroes," Legend whispered. Twilight heard a distinctive clack of armor.  _ "Ow! _ I'm right, Old Man, don't––"

Wild was still staring. "Thank you," Twilight managed, and took the potion. Wild did a happy little wiggle as he lifted it to his lips. He could see Legend shaking his head in the corner of his eye.

Twilight took a swig. The potion slid smoothly down his throat, warm and tingly in his stomach. Almost immediately, Twilight wheezed a sigh of relief as the warmth seemed to seep through him, branching through flesh and bone. His wounds buzzed familiarly under his clothes as they steadily began to knit back together.

He opened his eyes in time to catch Time's shoulders slump a little. The older hero only rolled his eye a little when he grinned at him.

Wild, at his side, practically glowed with satisfaction. He was the most relaxed Twilight had seen him so far. "Thank you," He made sure to say again. Wild smiled and it was almost a normal smile. It didn't fade when Time and Legend wandered over to them, even though Twilight caught his eyes flick their way.

"Let's go inside?" Time asked, and though Wild twitched under his hand on his shoulder, he allowed the other to guide him indoors. "We'll make a bed for you, at least try it first. If you don't like it, you can sleep outside, okay?"

Legend saddled up next to him, and Wild didn't look back. Twilight counted it as a victory. "Thanks for trying to stand up for me–– me an' Hyrule," he said. "You were a little off this time, but I appreciate it."

The tips of Legend's ears were pink. The other jerked his head to the side, carefully keeping his face out of sight. "Still think you shouldn't have drank it," He murmured conspiratorially.

"Worked though, didn' it," Twilight whispered back.

"Yeah, yeah.  _ Sure." _

Legend could roll his eyes all he wanted. He  was still the one borrowing a cot in Twilight's house.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this took longer than i expected, and also IS longer than i expected!! I had fun writing it tho, and tried to rectify the issues in other chapters. Also, ive never actually written hyrule before, so lmk how i did–– and as usual, tell me if my pacing is off please!! i was worried about it for this one. 
> 
> i think this fic will wrap up my LU crossover with my feral au, at least for the whole "meeting wild" part. everything else i write for feral wild in LU will be standalone stories of a sort! (except, of course, follow up shorts like wind's POV during calling out, etc. lemme know if theres something yall want)

**Author's Note:**

> As always, find me at [Leviathiane](https://leviathiane.tumblr.com) on tumblr!


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